Here’s how one local teen is working to honor fallen military members

By Mary Malik

The title “Gold Star Family” was initiated in World War I to distinguish a family that experiences the loss of a loved one in military service. Continuing today, any immediate family member, parent, sibling, spouse or child, receives a Gold Star from the Department of Defense to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for this country.

After a visit to the Gold Star Family Memorial Monument in his father’s hometown of Wapakoneta, Ohio, Owen Engle, a tenth-grader at Eastlake North High School, knew he wanted his hometown of Willowick to have a special place families could go to mourn their losses. Owen runs cross country, track and wrestles at Eastlake North. He lives in Willowick with his mom, dad, sister and brother, who all support his efforts.

“The first time I heard about a Gold Star Family Monument was when my dad told me and my brother about a dedication ceremony he attended for one in Wapakoneta,” Owen says. “Once I saw it, I thought it would be a great addition to Willowick.”

Owen did more than think about it. He contacted the Woody Williams Foundation for information on how to start the process of getting a Gold Star Family Memorial Monument in Willowick.

“I began working on a letter that I would read to the Willowick City Council,” Owen says. “I read it for weeks in front of my family and practiced how I would respond to questions. When I presented it to city council, I was afraid that some of the members would not support the idea, but many expressed interest in the project.”

After many more meetings, Owen attended the first meeting dedicated to his project. In attendance were Mike and Jean Bowen, a couple who had heard about Owen’s idea. Mike Bowen had produced a history of the City of Willowick and Owen used that information and to select pictures for the back of the Willowick Gold Star Family Memorial Monument.

“The monument has four panels, each one standing for the following: Homeland, Patriot, Family Legacy or Sacrifice. On the front, all monuments are the same, but on the back, each represents the area or city where they are located.”

The front of each monument will read, “Gold Star Families Memorial Monument: A tribute to Gold Star families and relatives who sacrificed a loved one for our freedom.”

“We are hosting a 5K where all the money raised will go toward this project,” Owen says. “And if we need to host other fundraising events, the local VFW and the American Legion have generously offered their halls for the purpose.”

Owen describes his reasons for taking on this project as, first, because Willowick didn’t have a monument dedicated to soldiers and, second, the fact that the nearest monument in Cleveland is not accessible for many Willowick area families.

“I want to help these families have a place to go to mourn their loss,” Owen says, “And something that shows them the respect they deserve for their sacrifice.”

Clearly a young man with the determination and tenacity to achieve his goals, it won’t surprise you that he has some lofty ones for his own future.

“My goal is to get into the United States Naval Academy, become a U.S. naval officer, and command the new Zumwalt destroyers,” Owen says.

The Zumwalt-class destroyer is a class of three U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers designed for stealth land attack. And if that continues to be Owen’s goal, something tells me that’s exactly what he’ll be doing.

For more information about this project, vistit WoodyWilliams.org/monuments/willowick-oh.html. You can also make a donation by visiting, hwwmohf.kindful.com/?campaign=1277289.